News Releases

JEFFERSON CITY - Continuing Gov. Jay Nixon's process of awarding local motor vehicle/license offices to those who submit the best business plans to operate the offices, the Missouri Department of Revenue today announced the awarding of management contracts for five more local offices.

The offices awarded today are in Edina, Forsyth, Sedalia, Versailles and Warrenton. This brings to 48 the total number of offices granted under the new system.

The Edina License Office has been awarded to Barbara Hunziker of Edina. She has been the office's contract office agent and manager since 2005. The office will remain in Room 108 of the Jim Sears Technical Center on East Highway 6.

Patricia L. Dreyer of Taneyville has been awarded the right to operate the license office in Forsyth. She is the incumbent agent and manager, serving in that capacity since 2005. The office will remain at 210 Shadow Rock Dr.

The Sedalia License Office has been awarded to Connie McLaughlin of Sedalia. Ms. McLaughlin formerly served as the contract agent for the Sedalia office from 1993 to 2005. The office will stay at its current location of 3135 W. Broadway.

Karen McCutcheon of Versailles has been named as the agent for the Versailles License Office. She has been the agent and manager of the office since 2005. The office will remain at 108 N. Monroe.

Wentzville Agency Management, LLC is the new agent for the Warrenton License Office. The company is associated with Mary Winklemann of Labadie (the current agent of the Wentzville License Office), Michelle Boyer of O'Fallon (the Wentzville office manager) and John Harris of Washington. The office will move to a new location of 609 Veterans Memorial Parkway.

Details about any changes in office operations, if any, will be announced by the agents.

The five offices awarded today are the latest to have their management chosen using a comprehensive bidding process that was implemented when Gov. Nixon took office on Jan. 12. The process calls for people or groups to submit detailed bids to obtain the management contracts to operate the offices. The Edina, Forsyth and Versailles license offices all received one bid apiece, Warrenton received two bids, and Sedalia received five bids.

This new process was codified in state law when Gov. Nixon signed legislation on July 1 that made the new system a permanent part of state law. The bill endorsing the change passed with overwhelming bipartisan majorities in the Missouri Senate and House.

"Legislators from both political parties understood the need for reform, and we have now implemented the changes that make this new process open, honest and transparent," Gov. Nixon said.

Alana M. Barragán-Scott, acting director of the Missouri Department of Revenue, also noted the openness of the new system.

"Any interested person or group is now able to bid to run an office," she said. "In addition, once a winning bid is selected, the evaluation sheets for both the winning and losing bids are open for public inspection."

Some winning bidders have chosen to return part of their estimated office revenues to the state. The Sedalia License Office will return 6 percent ($4,320) of its first-revenues, and Warrenton will return 5 percent ($7,583). The bids for Edina, Forsyth and Versailles did not include a return to the state. The cumulative amount of estimated funds that will be returned to the state in the first contract year from the 48 license offices that have been awarded so far is $344,601.

"The willingness of agents to return some of their revenues is a great cost-efficiency measure for the state, and the amount returned to the state will undoubtedly grow as more bids are awarded," Barragán-Scott said. "This money will be able to be used for a variety of vital state services."

All local license offices provide services that are overseen by the Missouri Department of Revenue, but each office is operated by an independent contractor. Transactions that are conducted at these offices include the issuance and renewal of driver licenses, applying for titles for motor vehicles, and the issuance and renewal of registration for motor vehicles, boats and outboard motors.

Additional information on the bids will be posted by the Missouri Office of Administration within the next few days.